The Darlings by Cristina Alger

Reviewed by Laura Kay

Paul Ross is married to Merrill Darling, whose daddy just happens to be Carter Darling a billionaire financier. When Paul loses his job his wife persuades him to take a position in her dad's company as the head of the legal team at Carter's hedge fund. 

When an unexpected suicide of a dear friend of the Darlings puts a spot light on the hedge fund and a regulatory investigation begins. An old friend from the SEC meets with Paul with a chance to turn on the Darlings or go down with the ship. 

The Darlings is an energized novel filled with characters, New York high society, and reminiscent of the 2008 financial crisis. 

For me, this wasn't a book I could just sit down with and read right through. First there are so many characters to get straight and for awhile you don't see how one fits to the others. Once the story gets moving you really get a strong sense of who Paul is. I personally really liked him. And you felt for him. The more you read the more you will want to read! I really wasn't sure what was going to happen and like I said you really aren't sure who some of these people are and how they are going to play into the story line. But then they do...the big AHA moments start to happen. 

I really thought The Darlings gave a really unique look at the Wall Street types we are always hearing about in the news. I guess you kind of expect them to have these amazing lives, but for me their lives seemed to be lacking. But don't confuse that with the book! I very much recommend The Darlings by Cristina Alger and it didn't lack anything!

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Bella Summer takes a Chance by Michele Gorman

Reviewed by Charlotte

Book description taken from Amazon.com:

When is enough not enough? 

Bella's career and relationship are her life's foundation wear: not glamorous and perhaps a bit binding, but supportive enough... until she realizes that they are not enough. Her life is sagging badly. She's never been in love with her boyfriend, despite a decade together. And somehow she stopped being a musician-with-a-day-job and became a consultant-who-was-musical. So she takes a terrifying leap of faith, leaving her relationship and resolving to follow her musical dreams no matter what. 

But the life you walk away from doesn't always let you walk away. 

With a wonderfully warm and witty cast of friends, all navigating between their ideals and the realities they face, together they'll find out what love and compromise really mean in this empowering tale about grasping life with both hands.


REVIEW:

Bella Summer takes a chance is a book about love.  Falling in love, realizing loving someone but not being in love, and the love of friends.  Many times I read part of the story and stopped and thought Yup, so true or Wow, never thought about love like that.  Michele Gorman kept me turning page after page needing to know more.

I really liked Clare.  Pregnant, from her late night “Shag,” she is single and unsure of what she wants.  The Shag being a man Clare wanted a relationship with and he wasn’t willing and is now the man looking for a relationship and Clare is not all that willing.  My favorite part was the labor and delivery.  The fact that Clare included all her best friends and The Shag showed exactly how close they truly are.  I also loved that Clare was the type of woman that everyone hopes they won’t be during labor.  I totally laughed out loud. 

Bella’s, or B, musical career was kind of a background story.  Following her almost non-happening career to being a much more active career was so entertaining.   The fact that B’s job was suppose to just hold her over until her career took off and that when she lost that job her career made turns in the right direction was something I saw coming, but still truly enjoyed reading about.

Having read Michele Gorman’s books before I know what I was hoping for and was not disappointed.  The quirky characters, easy reading, and flowing storyline were all exactly what I was hoping for.  I would recommend any of her books, this one included. 

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The books we review on this site (A NOVEL REVIEW) are sent to us by publishers, authors or downloaded from Netgalley. This is a very common practice.  We never take payments for these reviews and all the reviews on this site are our own thoughts and feelings and are not influenced

The Power Trip by Jackie Collins

Review by Charlotte Lynn

Billionaire Russian Aleksandr Kasianenko has a yacht built for his girlfriend, Bianca.  For the maiden voyage and Biana’s birthday, Alek invites 5 couples to join them.  The couples; Senator Hammand Patterson and his wife Sierra;  Movie Star Cliff Baxter and girlfriend Lori;  UK Footballer Taye Sherwin and his wife Ashley;  Latin singing sensation Luca Perez and his boyfriend Jeromy; and Journalist Flynn and his friend Xuan; are all in for a vacation they will never forget.

When Russian mobster, Sergei Zukov, finds out that Alek is the one who killed his brother he decides to get revenge.  Sergei works with Cruz, a master pirate, in hopes of getting revenge by pirating The Bianca and their guests for ransom.

The Power Trip is exactly what I hope for when reading a Jackie Collins book.  Although the story was different than her others (which I love), it was just as amazing.  There were a lot of characters to get to know at the beginning, but they were easy to keep straight and really easy to get to know.  I could instantly decide if I loved or hated each character.  The Senator was my hated character.  A man who is that two-faced just doesn’t deserve any respect from anyone and Hammand was the most two-faced person I had ever read about.  I was torn between my most loved character.  I really liked Taye.  He put up with a lot of verbal abuse from his wife, but never stepped out or gave up on his family.   I also really liked Flynn.  He told it exactly as it was.  Then when he went into action after the pirates, he showed how amazing he really was.

Jackie Collins has outdone herself.  I was so caught up in this book and its characters my husband actually asked if I was almost done with it.  Jackie knows exactly how far to push the hot and sexy without going too far.  Every detail adds just the right touch to the story.  The ending was so very unexpected, with loose ends that seem to lead to a possible sequel.

This just might be one of my favorite books of 2013.  Jackie Collins has shown she has what it takes to still draw in readers.  I loved this book and am sure all my friends will read it and love it also.

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The books we review on this site (A NOVEL REVIEW) are sent to us by publishers, authors or downloaded from Netgalley. This is a very common practice.  We never take payments for these reviews and all the reviews on this site are our own thoughts and feelings and are not influenced.

You'll Be Swell by Jim David

Review by Charlotte Lynn

Lucy Dixon has inspired to be an actress from a very early age and has worked very hard to accomplish everything.  After acting in some plays and musicals in high school, she heads to New York to make it big.   During a lull she decides to go on a cruise.  The cruise is a vacation from hell.  While pretending to be a Kate Winslet in Titanic she falls overboard and sets of a crazy chain of events that changes her life forever.  Along the way to stardom Lucy Dixon is stalked, charmed by the ship doctor, and held at gunpoint while in a gorilla suit.  Lucy also struggles with her weight, self esteem, and her personal life. 

I can say I laughed out loud many times while reading this funny and witty story.  Every chapter was another story in the life of an over-weight, smart, comedian’s climb to stardom.  The struggle with weight-loss and self esteem is something most women can relate to, although I sometimes felt like it was almost too much of the story.

Lucy was an easy character to fall in love with.  She never totally gave up on her dreams and took the bumps in her path as they came.  She was willing to work hard to get where she wanted to go, but never forgot her friends and family or where she came from.  I loved seeing her be able to laugh at herself and move past her not so glamorous clumsy moments.  A skill I wish I could master.

You’ll Be Swell is a light hearted, fast paced story.  If you’re looking for a funny book that will make you laugh out loud this is definitely the book for you.

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The books we review on this site (A NOVEL REVIEW) are sent to us by publishers, authors or downloaded from Netgalley. This is a very common practice.  We never take payments for these reviews and all the reviews on this site are our own thoughts and feelings and are not influenced.

2:32 am by Emily Ford

Reviewed by Charlotte

At 2:32am Cat wakes up to find a mysterious man sitting on her bed, instead of being afraid she felt calm and comfort.  Then he was gone.

Seventeen year old Cat has to make a choice of whether to accept magic or keep living life as she has.  Having moved many times with her family, Cat has settled in Savannah, Georgia.  She has made many friends and reconnected with Todd, a friend from many years before.  Now she has to decide if Todd is her future of if her genie friend, Rolf, is it for her.

2:32 am is a fantasy romance about a young girl learning about a whole nother world.  A world that is either out to get her or wants her to take on some extremely strong magic and join them.  I really like Cat.  For being seventeen she is strong willed and very honest with herself and those around her.  I loved that she did not give in to her typical teenage boyfriend, Todd, and have going away sex with him.  Cat also had great friends.  They shopped, studied, and hung out just as you would expect teenagers to do.  I truly enjoyed reading a paranormal book with so much normalcy and reality in it.

Rolf, Cat’s soul mate, made me leery.  I feel like there is a lot of secrets behind him and wonder if his love is as true as he says it is.  I’m hoping we will get more insight to him in the future books in this series. 

This is the first book I have read about genies and I truly enjoyed it.  I would recommend this to young adult readers or anyone who enjoys fantasy romance books.

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Dangerous Embrace by Dana Mason

Review by Charlotte Lynn

First grade teacher, Sarah Jennings, only wants a quiet lonely life.  Hiding from an abusive ex-boyfriend she is finding just what she wants.  When leaving school one night she gets attacked.  Lucky for her, good guy Mark Summors was there to help her and just won’t let her go, promising to keep her safe.  Sarah’s immediate reaction is to run, but Mark refuses to let her.

Dana Mason did an amazing job with Dangerous Embrace.  I loved all the character and couldn’t stop reading it.  The independence and stubbornness of Sarah made her a true survivor and heroine.  Even with Sarah’s checkered past and being forced to deal with it she is a character that you instantly love and care about.  Feeling her fear and terror while dealing with her present and future only make her a more lovable and believable character.

There there is Mark…oh, man, man of my dreams.  Not only is he there to help the night of Sarah’s attack, but he stays with her after.  Making sure she feels safe and secure and not alone.  Marks determination to keep her safe and win her trust makes him a true keeper.  He does all of this while still letting her have control of her life.  The bedroom scene was amazing touching.  To see a man want a woman so much, but still be able to give her the control over the situation.  Totally YUMMY!

I had to keep reading this book.  Each chapter kept me wanting for more.  The dark happenings of this book are over shadowed by the strength and romance.   I highly recommend this to any adult woman looking for action and romance. 

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The books we review on this site (A NOVEL REVIEW) are sent to us by publishers, authors or downloaded from Netgalley. This is a very common practice.  We never take payments for these reviews and all the reviews on this site are our own thoughts and feelings and are not influenced.

Calling Me Home by Julie Kibler

Reviewed by Laura Kay

Calling Me Home is a story that interweaves past with present, as Miss Isabelle McCallister and her friend/hairdresser Dorrie make a cross country trip to a funeral. Miss Isabelle is an elderly woman living alone and has asked Dorrie a young single black hairdresser to drive her from Texas to Cincinnati. With Dorrie's crazy life, she kinda will get a break from everything going on at home plus the added bonus of learning a bit more about Isabelle's guarded past.

As the head out of town, Miss Isabelle begins her story...Kentucky 1939. With miles of road behind them she shares the story of her true love, a forbidden love. 17 year old Isabelle had fallen in love with 18 year old Robert Prewitt, a black youth whose mother worked for Isabelle's family. The closer they get to Cincinnati the more Dorrie learns of Isabelle's heartbreaking story and realizes the funeral is of utmost importance.

While driving, Dorrie's hectic life seems to be following her. She feels pressed with her own son and with the new man in her life. But as she sits and listens to Miss Isabelle's story she quickly realizes there are many truths in her story that Dorrie can use in her own life. Once at the funeral, when all the truth is revealed the two women are more connected than ever.

What can I say? I loved Calling Me Home! With the beginning of the romance you can't help but think oh no! Not in that time! You know what was done to young black boys if they even looked at a white women back then! I wanted to talk some sense into her, but at the same time you want them together because they love each other! It's a struggle reading about the appalling treatment...it's like you read and realize how far things have come and at the same time realize there is so much more to be done.

This is a book you really don't want to put down. You can't help but want to know what's next and I LOVED how Dorrie was not just another person is the story, but was also hearing the story just as I was. I sat with this book crying as it came to an end.

I highly recommend Calling Me Home.

Calling Me Home is the February She Reads book club pick. 

She Reads is giving away 10 copies, courtesy of St. Martin’s Press! Just follow the link to the She Reads website (here's the link!) and leave a comment! Winners will be chosen Friday! Good luck!

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The books we review on this site (A NOVEL REVIEW) are sent to us by publishers, authors or downloaded from Netgalley. This is a very common practice.  We never take payments for these reviews and all the reviews on this site are our own thoughts and feelings and are not influenced.

The Guestbook by Andrea Hurst

Review by Charlotte Lynn

Lily Parkins finds out her hubby is cheating on her.  She decided enough is enough and moved to the Pacific Northwest.  Lily’s grandmother has left her the old family farmhouse which happens to be the only place she has ever been truly happy.  Lily knows she has decisions to make.  Is the farm, which her grandma convert to a Bed & Breakfast where she wants to stay?  Should she return to her husband, forgiving his cheating and overbearing ways?  Should she open her heart to new love?

Lily’s grandma left her the guestbook from all the years running the Bed & Breakfast.  Inside this book is letters, recipes, and parts of Lily’s history.  All of the information helps Lily get her independence and remake herself.  Between her wonderful new friends, her mother, and Ian, the handsome neighbor, Lily is determined to be successful and happy.

When the email arrived asking me to read The Guestbook telling me it was like Nicholas Sparks, Nora Roberts, and Debbie Macomber wrapped in one I was thrilled by wary.  Those are big names to live up to.  But she was right on.  I saw the romance, the charm, and the heart just as promised.

The Guestbook is a story of friendship, love, family, and finding one self.  The friendships Lily made let her trust again.  I loved the small town feel of everyone knowing everyone and helping without being asked or being paid.  If more towns were like this the world would be a much better, much happier place.  The love that not only Lily found but also that was hinted at foe her best friends Jude and Kyla, made me unable to put the book down.  It is a love story, not a story of sex and lust, although there was some of that in there also.  Family…Lily realizing what she lost by staying with her loser husband.  I loved how she worked through the time she didn’t and should have spent with her grandma.  How she pushed her mom away, but when she needed her mom, she was there.  All of these helped Lily redefine herself and find true happiness.

I cannot believe this is Andrea Hurst’s debut novel.  The next one cannot come soon enough.  The Guestbook is perfect to cuddle up with a glass of cocoa next to a roaring fire and lose yourself in

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The books we review on this site (A NOVEL REVIEW) are sent to us by publishers, authors or downloaded from Netgalley. This is a very common practice.  We never take payments for these reviews and all the reviews on this site are our own thoughts and feelings and are not influenced.

Firefly Hollow by T.L. Haddix

Review by Charlotte

Sarah Browning has trespassed on her neighbors, The Campbells, land for many years while never meeting them.  After going away to college and then getting called back home when her father is dying, she finally meets Owen Campbell and the attraction is instant. Sarah has felt like the odd sister.  Not popular or pretty she has not had a real boyfriend and is not confident that she ever will.   Owen has many secrets and a past that could hinder their relationship.  He is somewhat of a recluse.  He believes that he will never fall in love and that he doesn’t deserve to fall in love.

By the end of the first chapter I was caught in the web T.L. Haddix was weaving.  I felt like I was right with Sarah and Own on their journey.  I had butterflies, anxiety, and anger along with Sarah.  Owen is the attentive, loving, thoughtful boyfriend everyone dreams of.   He also won me over by never giving up on Sarah and admitting his mistakes.  He also lets her into his inner sanctum, telling Sarah the deepest darkest secrets that he never dreamed he would share with anyone else.   The love there two shared was truly on the soul mate level.

I enjoyed that this was not just boy meets girl and falls in love story.  There is a few smaller storylines that I enjoyed just as much as the main storyline.  Kathy, Sarah’s sister, and Randall, her husband, story broke my heart.  Seeing how Kathy and Sarah fought like sisters, but were there to stand by each other in their tough times was how sisters should be and I love it.  When the going got tough for either sister the family pulled together and gave 100% support made me envious of her life.   Jack and Gilly’s love story was great.  Seeing two people so in love warmed my heart.  Seeing how Gilly waited for Jack to return and once he did never doubted his love and devotion.

Firefly Hollow is a novel that is impossible to put down.  I definitely recommend this to everyone. 

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The books we review on this site (A NOVEL REVIEW) are sent to us by publishers, authors or downloaded from Netgalley. This is a very common practice.  We never take payments for these reviews and all the reviews on this site are our own thoughts and feelings and are not influenced.

Big Bad Bite by Jessie Lane

Reviewed by Charlotte

Jenna O’Connor has been extremely sheltered her whole life to keep what she is a secret from “others.”  She is not human nor is she a normal supernatural “other.”  When she gets her dream job in another town, becoming a SWAT team member of the Wilmington Police Department, she jumps at the chance to get away from her own small town and those that have kept her secrets.

First day on the job she runs into Adam McPhee.  Adam is a wolf in human form and is incredibly intrigued with Jenna.  He is obsessive over her.  Needing to know who she is and what she is, but also wanting to have her, to keep her all to himself.  While trying to come to terms with Adam and his pack, she learns a lot about the world that she truly belongs in and has been hidden from for so long. 

Jessie Lane is amazing.  I already loved reading paranormal stories, but this just heightened my love.  Every character in this book was perfectly written.  No matter who was in the scene I could feel myself becoming them and getting sucked right in.  The plot was enrapturing.  From the very first page this is a book you cannot put down.  The descriptions of the surroundings, the houses, and the characters made the story play out in real time with real pictures in my head.  At no time did I feel like I had to put the book down and take a break.  I had to keep reading. 

Jenna and Adams budding, quickly moving relationship was hot, heavy, loving, and romantic.  Seeing Adam care so much that he held back on his wolf tendencies, which is very hard to do, just to keep Jenna comfortable, made him my hero.  He did not go about mating as a wolf, but as a human.  Then to finally see Jenna understand, for the wolf ways to click for her.  And her to go to Adam as a mate was definitely my favorite part of the book.

I also loved Uncle Owen, who Jenna had not seen in years, and become kind of her father figure.  Showing her the ways of the “other” world and making sure Adam’s intentions were honest.  Logan, the little brother she never knew she had, cracked me up.  His outrageous sex drive, his endless teasing of Jenna, and his over protectiveness made him all too real of a little brother.

Once again Jessie Lane got me, hook, line, and sinker.  Absolutely everything about this book was perfect.  I could not put it down and very anxiously await the next book in this series.  Anyone who enjoys paranormal stories will have to read this.  Extremely highly recommend Big Bad Bite to everyone.

Special thanks to Jessie Lane for the ARC copy of this novel for me to review.

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The History of Us by Leah Stewart

Reviewed by Laura Kay

Teaching at Harvard is a dream come true for Eloise Hempel, but then she gets a life changing phone call. Her dream life ends, as she takes guardianship of his sister's three children.

Fast forward, as her youngest niece, Claire is about to leave home to pursue her ballet career in New York. Eloise believes now she will able to pursue 'her' life. But Theo and Josh, the two oldest adult children, don't want to move out or move on. They are both stuck. As Eloise is about to throw them out, her mother decides to set up a competition between all of them to see who gets the house.

Eloise has a secret relationship and waiting to pursue her dreams, Theo is dragging her feet to look for a grown-up life and having puppy love for one of Eloise's colleges, Josh is running from his successful music career, and Claire is hiding the most! With all the secrets coming to light everything begins to unravel.

This novel really hit home for me. I got Theo on a number of different levels and issues. It was like no one got how she was still dealing with the loss of her parents all these years later. Eloise is in such a hurry for Theo to leave Cincinnati didn't seem to realize what the home, what the city meant to Theo. It's where her parents left her. In some way I related and understood each character and their motivations. None of them are perfect, none of them are totally likable or not likable. They are a family with all their issues. Not just current issues, but those ones we take with us from our childhood and seem to carry with us into our adulthood. A very character driven story!

I was sad when the book ended. I wanted to keep turning pages and follow them. I wanted to see what was next for each of them. The History of Us is a story of a family and I very much recommend reading it.

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The books we review on this site (A NOVEL REVIEW) are sent to us by publishers, authors or downloaded from Netgalley. This is a very common practice.  We never take payments for these reviews and all the reviews on this site are our own thoughts and feelings and are not influenced.

The History of Us by Leah Stewart

Review by Charlotte Lynn

On the way to teach her Harvard class, Eloise Hempel finds out that her sister and her husband have been killed in a tragic accident.  Eloise’s sister has left her as guardian of her three young children.  This causes her to return to Cincinnati to raise Theo, Josh, and Claire.  She moves into her mother’s house.  Her mother leaves, and Eloise goes about the raising and the upkeep of an ancient house.

Now that the youngest, Claire, has moved out and onto her ballet career in New York, Eloise decides it is time to move on and sell the house.  But her mother and the children make this very difficult for Eloise.

Every character is dealing with an issue.  Josh the quitting of a successful band and his ex-girlfriend.  Theo really wants the house and has a crush on an already taken guy.  Eloise wants to live her own life.

I really felt like I was just reading a story.  At no point did I get sucked in and feel as if I was part of the story.  The potential was there and there were times that I felt close.  It seemed to be superficial, immature, and unfortunately lacking a great plot.

I will say I did like Heather, Eloise’s “friend.”  She seemed to understand that Eloise needed to be forced to make changes and how the changes would work in their relationship.

Overall, I cannot recommend this book, but have heard great things about Leah Stewart’s previous book and look forward to reading it. 

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The books we review on this site (A NOVEL REVIEW) are sent to us by publishers, authors or downloaded from Netgalley. This is a very common practice.  We never take payments for these reviews and all the reviews on this site are our own thoughts and feelings and are not influenced.

Skating on Edge by Joelle Charbonnea

Reviewed by Charlotte

Rebecca Robbins is the owner of the Toe Stop roller-rink where a tough roller derby team practices.  One of the roller derby girls is murdered when she takes Rebecca’s turn in the dunk tank at the Native American Summer Days.  Rebecca knows she must solve this murder before someone actually manages to kill her.

Skating on Edge is the third of the Rebecca Robbins Mysteries.  I did not read the first two, but was easily able to follow this one and enjoy it.  The characters were quirky and fun and made me laugh many times.  The plot was fun and easy to read.  Being from a small town myself, I could relate to the everyone knows everyone and the gossiping for information.

I loved following Rebecca as she questioned suspects, followed clues, and finally managed to solve the murder.  She did most of this with the towns law enforcement a couple steps behind her.  There were times I thought I knew who dunit, but then something else would happen to make me doubt myself.  By the end I was pretty sure that I knew who the murder was and loved how it all played out. 

This book is fast and easy and will keep you laughing throughout.  I recommend this book and will be reading the rest of the series.

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The books we review on this site (A NOVEL REVIEW) are sent to us by publishers, authors or downloaded from Netgalley. This is a very common practice.  We never take payments for these reviews and all the reviews on this site are our own thoughts and feelings and are not influenced.

To Iraq and Back by Jessica Scott

Reviewed by Charlotte Lynn

To Iraq and Back is a story of Second Lieutenant Jessica Scott as she is getting ready to be deployed to Iraq and her deployment to Iraq.  It is a story of a mother, a writer, and a Lieutenant as she struggles through leaving her children, keeping up with her books and blog, and learning how to be a leader.

I learned so much from Jessica’s writing.  A sneak peak into what goes into being in the military and all that one has to give up and let go of.  The grief of leaving her children even with the knowledge that her children will be in the capable hands of their grandmother.  The anxiety of leading her fellow military mates during such a trying and scary time.  Jessica managed to share all of this and not portray herself as not being perfect or above anyone else.  She kept the story true to herself and her feelings.

The awe I felt for Jessica Scott humbled me.  I take so much for granted in my life.  Such as my kids, my freedom, the ability to go and do what I want whenever the mood strikes, and of course reading Jessica’s other novels for fun.  All I can say is Thank You.  Thank You for your service.  Thank You for my freedom.  Thank You for sharing your story.

Everyone who enjoys their freedom and life should read To Iraq and Back.  It is eye opening and inspiring.  I fell very honored that I was asked to read and share this story. 

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Real Wifey's Hustle Hard by Meesha Mink

Review by Charlotte Lynn

“Suga”, Sophie Alvarez’s world is about to take a severe turn.  She is the wifey of loan shark Dane.  All she wants is for Dane to go legit so they can marry and start a family.  When the house is raided, Suga has to make some tough decisions.  Her life gets even crazier when she tries to run Dane’s business.

Suga also learns some information about her father and his past that changes her perception of her father and her relationships with friends of her past.

Not having read the first two books in this series, I did not know the background of Suga and Dane.  But I was easily able to follow along and enjoy Real Wifey’s Hustle Hard.  Once I got past the profanity and an understanding of the “street talk” I was hooked.

I enjoyed Sophie.  She stayed strong to who she is not giving in to marry Dane until he goes legal and also not letting her education go to waste and go for the “easy life”.   Sophie also showed her smarts, not just book smarts but street smarts.  When she has to be self-sufficient she proved she could.  She was also loyal.  Loyal to those who were loyal to her, a friend you could count on.  She will also call you out if she doesn’t believe in what they are doing.

There was a lot of profanity, which does nothing for me, but it was necessary due to the settings of the book.  The sex was rather graphic and sometimes did not add much to the plot, but again I understand some of it was necessary due to the settings.

I did enjoy the book, but probably will not read the first two in this series.  If profanity and sex does not bother you, the you will enjoy Real Wifey’s Hustle Hard.  This is definitely not a book for everyone, but it does have great characters and a catching plot, some will truly enjoy it. 

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The books we review on this site (A NOVEL REVIEW) are sent to us by publishers, authors or downloaded from Netgalley. This is a very common practice.  We never take payments for these reviews and all the reviews on this site are our own thoughts and feelings and are not influenced.